Various physical conditions require an increased oxygen supply to a patient. In severe cases, an oxygen mask may be required. However, in less severe cases, an oxygen mask is not required, and the increased oxygen flow is provided by a nasal cannula connected to oxygen tubes. The nasal cannula is generally worn in or near the entry to the nasal passages.
Generally speaking, when in use, a nasal cannula is simply draped over one ear, positioned underneath the nose, and then draped over the other ear. While satisfactory for completely immobile individuals, frequently, when a nasal cannula is installed over the ears of a patient, it becomes dislodged. This is particularly likely to occur when the person is asleep and is typically caused by tossing and turning of the person causing contact of the cannula and cannula tube against the bed and bedclothes. The person generally is wakened when the cannula dislodges or falls from the person's nose due to the insufficient supply of oxygen to the person's brain, and the person must subsequently reattach the cannula. This activity disrupts the person's sleep and frequently occurs several times each night. If the person does not wake, potentially serious hypoxia and resulting in permanent brain damage and death can occur due to the lack of sufficient oxygen supply to the person's brain.
Additionally, even when the nasal cannula is properly positioned, the nasal securing device disclosed herein ensures more consistent oxygen intake by the patient, which is beneficial to the patient. Also beneficial is that the nasal cannula securing device improves the ability of a pulmonologist to accurately evaluate a patient's oxygen requirements.
A further advantage can result from use in the normal hospital environment. Normally, with a patient in the hospital, with the exception of an intensive care facility, the attending nurses have multiple patients and it is next to impossible to monitor every patient's nasal cannula and to verify that there is complete and consistent insertion of the prongs in the nostrils. Use of the present invention in the hospital environment is likely to reduce the need to continuously monitor and reinstall a patient's nasal cannula. The improved flow of oxygen from a consistently placed nasal cannula may even reduce patient hospital stays and improve patient quality of life.
Thus, there is a need for a means and method for retaining a cannula in place during use. It is clear therefore that a need exists for a device to secure a nasal cannula to a patient's head in a light, inexpensive, and effective manner, and to do so in a manner that will be unobtrusive to the patient.